Los Angeles Lakers vs Golden State Warriors Box Score on Dec 22, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Dec 23, 2017

OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Golden State Warriors regained the top spot in the Western Conference on Friday night, rallying from a fourth-quarter deficit to win their 11th straight game, 113-106 over the Los Angeles Lakers.

The win, coupled with Houston's home loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, pushed the Warriors (26-6) a half-game ahead of the Rockets (25-6) for the top seed in the West.

After the Lakers battled back from a 23-point deficit to take an 89-88 lead on a 3-pointer by Julius Randle with 7:45 to play, Nick Young gave Golden State the lead for good with a three-point play 19 seconds later.

The Warriors scored six straight points to build a lead, then added six in a row four minutes later to go up 105-97 before holding on for their third straight hard-fought win over the Lakers this season.

Kevin Durant had 33 points (12 on free throws) to lead the Warriors, who have beaten the Lakers the last 10 times they've met in Oakland.

Rookie Jordan Bell (20 points and 10 rebounds) and Draymond Green (13 points and 11 rebounds), returning from a four-game absence, complemented Durant with double-doubles for the Warriors, who won despite going just 7 of 24 (29.2 percent) from 3-point range.

Rookies Kyle Kuzma (27 points and 14 rebounds) and Lonzo Ball (24 points) paced the Lakers, who had taken the Warriors to overtime in their two previous meetings this season.

Ball connected on five 3-pointers for the Lakers, who made 11 of 29 (37.9 percent) from beyond the arc.

Randle added 21 points for the Lakers (11-19), who were coming off a 122-116 win at Houston and had won three of their previous five road games.

The Lakers began their comeback in the third quarter after falling behind by as many as 23 points, 71-48 in the fourth minute of the quarter.

Kuzma had 12 of his 27 points in the quarter, which ended with Golden State still retaining a double-digit lead at 84-72.

The Warriors overcame 4-of-4 3-point shooting by Ball to take a 61-44 halftime lead.

Golden State led just 41-36 at the midpoint of the second quarter before limiting Los Angeles to 3-of-11 shooting the rest of the half.

Los Angeles had more turnovers (four) than field goals (three) during Golden State's 20-8 half-closing run.

NOTES: The Warriors' win gave them a 3-0 lead in the season series. They swept the earlier pair in Los Angeles in overtime. ... With the return of PF Draymond Green, the Warriors used their eighth different starting lineup in their last nine games. ... Warriors coach Steve Kerr announced before the game that injured PG Stephen Curry (sprained right ankle) has a "99.999 percent" chance of not playing in Monday's showdown with the Cleveland Cavaliers. ... Both teams will complete a back-to-back Saturday night at home against an opponent that also played Friday. In fact, Denver (which visits Golden State) and Portland (which travels to Los Angeles) played each other Friday at Portland.